Phasing Out Invision? 5 Alternatives for Your Email Proofing Workflows

InVision recently announced that it will close the doors on its design collaboration services at the end of the year. Current users have until then to retrieve their work and find a new solution.

The company cites the acquisition of Freehand by Miro as one reason why their remaining services have fallen short. Some industry analysts believe that while InVision was once at the top of the UI/UX industry, it struggled to keep up with emerging trends, competition, and designer requirements.

Now, designers across all industries relying on InVision must start finding alternatives. So we’ve put together some of the top options specifically for those who need to proof email campaigns, which have unique needs compared to other types of use cases of design software.

Which option might be the best choice for your new design tool? Our breakdown will help you hone in on the right choice.

Best Alternatives for Proofing Email Campaigns

InVision’s exit from the industry has left many designers, marketers, and organizations needing a replacement. The needs of each specific team will undoubtedly vary, so if you’re looking for an InVision alternative for email proofing, remember how each platform will accommodate your use case.

We’ll break down other platforms, workflows, and possibilities with a focus on email proofing to help you find the right choice as you phase out InVision.

1. Choose an InVision Alternative 

Plenty of platforms to consider as you create new processes for email proofing. Other UI/UX 

• Figma: This platform is one of the leaders in UI/UX design. However, companies should carefully evaluate the specific features they’ll need related to Figma’s offering, as it aims to be an all-rounder rather than focus on a specific use case.
• AdobeXD: Adobe XD is worth mentioning but is currently in maintenance mode. It’s still worth mentioning, as it can still be put to use. Maintenance mode means it’s not being actively developed and only receiving minor bug fixes or security updates.
• Sketch: Sketch is a popular UI design platform with Mac users. However, the platform typically needs to work with more collaborative tools for the workflow. By itself, it may struggle to handle email proofing. 
• ProofHub: ProofHub combines the needs of project management with popular proofing methods. While other entries on this list focus on email, app, or site proofing, ProofHub narrows in on the project management side of these processes.
• Axure RP: Many designers prefer Axure RP over other options due to its advanced wireframing capabilities and ability to create realistic interactive prototypes. Yet, it may not be sufficient, or even too advanced, for email proofing. This option will have everything for some organizations, but others may find it lacking. 
• Marvel: Marvel is often chosen by small teams or solo designers due to its ease of use and rapid prototyping capabilities. However, Marvel focuses on app and site design, and it may not be well-suited for proofing email campaigns. The lack of some features for email-focused options may leave some teams needing to find their own solutions or 

These options are well worth highlighting, but for email proofing alone, they may be overly complicated or completely missing key features necessary for effective email proofing workflows.

2. Send Proofs Directly to Stakeholders

Marketing teams can send proofs as completed emails or graphics directly to stakeholders. From there, any revisions or approvals can be given as email responses, allowing marketers to take it from there.

This method can be challenging for larger businesses but may be the right choice for small to medium-sized businesses. You don’t need to overcomplicate email proofing by adopting a complex UI/UX solution — sometimes, working without emails is perfectly fine.

As you grow, you can explore options like ProofJump or other options that make communication easier to track. However, starting with emails might be perfectly fine for your organization.

3. Use Spreadsheets or Google Docs

Business software can be put to work for email proofing workflows and can often be more effective than trying to make an overly complex UI/UX tool handle the same task. Feature-heavy tools intended for designing web apps can be sidestepped by leveraging the same tools your teams already put to use.

Spreadsheets can be used to track progress on email proofing, including everything from status updates to specific comments about the next steps. Additionally, Google Docs can be used in tandem with spreadsheets or by itself to allow granular collaboration on specific changes in a specific email.

Using software that teams are already familiar with can minimize the learning curve of refining email campaigns.

4. Use Annotated PDFs

PDFs can be a great choice for many organizations as they can be easily created and support commenting on specific areas. While the specific utility will depend on your chosen PDF tool, commenting, real links, and text are commonly supported features.

Marketers and designers can work within common business software to create the initial proof export as a PDF, and stakeholders can leave any necessary comments for any necessary revisions.

You may be able to make PDFs work for an extended period of time, but just like using emails or Google Docs, you may need to upgrade to a purpose-built solution as your business grows.

5. Adopt a Purpose-Built Email Proofing like ProofJump

ProofJump is a web app developed for marketing and design teams to collaborate on email campaigns effectively. The platform focuses on simplifying the proof process with robust annotation, revision, and testing utilities.

While ProofJump isn’t meant to take on every use case of InVision, it is an excellent replacement for teams who used the sunsetting tool for email marketing campaigns. The comprehensive collaboration utilities and ability to have threaded conversations within the proof make it stand out.

Key Features:

• Ability to create proofs by sending an email to ProofJump
• Point-and-click annotations to easily highlight areas where revisions are needed
• Full HTML capture of the email, including the “From,” “Subject,” and “Preheader” with clickable links
• Version control for clear change tracking and history
• Dynamic content proofing

Which InVision Alternative is the Right Choice?

Choosing the right alternative that meets your current and future needs is crucial. The UI/UX industry is constantly evolving, and email marketing is continually changing in similar and unique ways.

Is your primary or only use case for an InVision alternative proofing email campaign? ProofJump is purpose-built to meet the specific needs of email proofing and offers robust functionality to enable granular collaboration to maximize your campaigns.
Ready to get started? Book a demo with one of our experts today.